Speaking at a hearing yesterday, family court Judge Heaton said one of the pair assaulted Poppy in Rytting's flat in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, on the morning of June 9 2013.

The assault, described in court as a "shaking or shaking impact type event", resulted in Poppy suffering respiratory arrest and then cardiac arrest. She died the following day.

Judge Heaton said: "I unhesitatingly come to the conclusion that Poppy Widdison was subjected to a serious traumatic event on the morning of June 9 shortly before 8.41am.

"The event was some form of physical assault which inflicted injury upon Poppy."

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A family court judge heard either Pyke or Rytting had assaulted tragic Poppy

He continued: "Part of the assault involved Poppy being subjected to a shaking or shaking impact type event. The consequence was Poppy went into respiratory arrest, then cardiac arrest, then she lost her life.

"Whether (she died as a result of) a blow to the head or shaking event matters not.

"She died as a result of the assault."

Judge Heaton added: "I unhesitatingly conclude that both know far more about how Poppy lost her life than either of them are prepared to say.

"The mother and Mr Rytting are seeking to conceal from view what happened in the flat that morning in order to protect themselves."

Judge Jeremy Richardson said the pair were living in a swamp of drug addiction

He continued: "It's not possible to say whether the mother acted alone or Rytting alone or whether they were both involved and what role each played.

"I am entirely satisfied, however, to the appropriate standard of proof that both knew what happened in the flat that morning.

"Having reflected carefully on the matter, I have come to the conclusion I can't identify either of the two adults as the perpetrator of this traumatic event."

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Pyke she was "utterly unfit to be a mother" and said to the pair: "You both bear huge responsibility for blighting the life of a pretty, vivacious little girl."

He described how Poppy was born a heroin addict and existed in a "swamp of drug addiction", and how her mother had a "deplorable attitude" towards an "innocent infant".

Chillingly, he also highlighted that the little girl had been named after the very plant from which heroin - which her mother was addicted to - comes from.

You both bear huge responsibility for blighting the life of a pretty, vivacious little girl.

Judge Jeremy Richardson

Prosecutor David Gordon said cops found 700 diazepam and over 300 temazepam tablets when they raided the couple's house in Grimsby, North East Lincs., after Poppy's death.

He said Rytting had bought the tablets from suppliers predominantly based in Asia before selling them on.

Mr Gordon said: "Text messages were found on Rytting's phone from customers asking for diazepam using the code and asking for 'blue'."

The pair had pleaded guilty to a minor child cruelty offence of subjecting a child to an environment in the presence of drugs on the 11th hour prior to trial.

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Pyke also pleaded guilty to child cruelty by emotional abuse after neighbours heard her calling Poppy a "little b*****".

But Pyke and Rytting were both found guilty of serious child cruelty of administering prescribed/control drugs to Poppy.

Rytting, of Grimsby, North East Lincs., who admitted one count of importing drugs and two counts of supplying controlled drugs, was also convicted of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Pyke, of Hull, East Yorks., admitted a charge of supplying methadone, was found guilty of possessing methadone with intent to supply.

The jury only took two hours to find the pair guilty of all charges.

Array

Speaking outside court, Poppy's father Brendan Widdison, said: "We as a family could not contact Michala in the last few weeks before poppy's death.

"However, if we had known... the concerns of the social care, we might have acted differently as a family.

"We had no concerns.

"The last time we saw Poppy was her birthday - her fourth birthday.

"She was her normal, happy self, pleased to see us and excited about her birthday.

"We as a family could not have forseen what would have happened and in this case we don't believe social care could have either.

"Thank you all very much. We would also like to say thank you to the police and everybody involved in the case."

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Timothy Roberts, representing Rytting, previously told the judge that his client shouldn't be held as responsible as Pyke for causing Poppy's death.

Mr Roberts said: "Mr Rytting had been in [Poppy's] life for about six weeks and what can be agreed is that he only had partial responsibility for care of her."

SWNS:South West News Service

John Rytting, 40, pictured outside Hull Crown Court before being convicted, claimed he was 'off his nut' during the period he is accused of causing child cruelty

SWNS:South West News Service

Michala Pyke denies two offences of cruelty towards Poppy while responsible for her

The CPS has said they could not charge Pyke or Rytting on manslaughter or murder grounds due to lack of evidence.

PS senior district Crown prosecutor Catherine Ainsworth said: "The reason the CPS did not charge these two defendants with murder or manslaughter was because the experts were unable to ascertain a clear cause of death.

"The experts were able to agree, however, that the drugs did not contribute to Poppy's death.

"Therefore there was insufficient evidence to prove to the high standard required in the criminal courts that the neglect Poppy suffered contributed directly to her death."

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